Portable magnet power supply for a superconducting magnet and a method for removing energy from a superconducting magnet using a portable magnet power supply

Abstract

A portable magnet power supply for a superconducting magnet includes apparatus for the storage of energy released from a superconducting magnet, the apparatus having an electrical run-down load for connection across the electrical terminals of a superconducting magnet; and a heat storage material in thermal contact with the run-down load; and a method for use thereof.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. A portable magnet power supply for a superconducting magnet comprising apparatus for the storage of energy released from a superconducting magnet, said apparatus comprising:
 an electrical run-down load for connection across the electrical terminals of the superconducting magnet to receive energy released from the superconducting magnet in a ramping down of the superconducting magnet in a ramping down time span; 
 a heat storage material in thermal contact with the run-down load, said heat storage material having a heat storage capacity that stores substantially all of said energy in said ramping down time span; and 
 a housing in which said run-down load and said heat storage material are contained, said housing being configured to be manually portable and said run-down load and said heat storage material having a size and weight configured for manual transport of said run-down load and said heat storage material in said housing. 
 
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat storage material undergoes a phase change in response to energy released by the run-down load. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the heat storage material comprises paraffin wax. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the heat storage material comprises one or more ceramic bricks. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the run-down load comprises one or more diodes. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the run-down load comprises a resistive element. 
     
     
       7. A method for removing energy from a superconducting magnet using a portable magnet power supply, comprising:
 manually bringing a non-stationary, portable magnet power supply to a site of a superconducting magnet, said portable power supply having a housing containing a run-down load and heat storage material; 
 connecting said run-down load of the portable magnet power supply across electrical terminals of the superconducting magnet; 
 in a ramping down of said superconducting magnet opening a superconducting switch to divert current flowing in the superconducting magnet through the run-down load, said current having an energy associated therewith and said ramping down procedure taking place in a ramping down time span; 
 storing substantially all heat generated by the run-down load in response to the current flowing through it during said ramping down time span in the heat storage material of the portable power supply; and 
 allowing the heat storage material to cool after current has ceased to flow through the run-down load. 
 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 7  comprising storing heat in the heat storage material by a change in phase of the heat storage material, from solid to liquid; and the heat storage material reverting to a solid state on cooling. 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 8  comprising employing paraffin wax as the heat storage material. 
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 7  comprising employing a number of ceramic bricks as the heat storage material.